Protected Tomorrows February 2019 Newsletter

In this Issue:

President's Message

ASD - Parents Helping Parents

7 Companies Making Fashion More Inclusive for Kids with Disabilities

IPADD - CMS Guidance for Access to Services Within a HCBS Waiver

This is Where We Will Be...

President's Message:

Dear Clients and Friends,

I love what I see happening in our world! Families are sharing more than ever! The Internet is such a great resource when used as a sharing tool. There are blogs, groups, resource Facebook pages, and more. Parents share their knowledge, fears, and successes, and it's amazing how resourceful families have become. This type of community didn't exist 30 years ago, and it's promising to see the change beginning to happen via the power of families.

We hope to be an even bigger resource for families in the coming year. Not only have we created many new tutorials to share How To's and just some good basic knowledge, but we'll be announcing an online Parent University where families can learn one step at a time. If you are part of a group that would like to offer this opportunity to your families, please feel free to contact Roberta Costion at [email protected].

We'll also be announcing shortly a date for our "Retiring for Three Workshop" to help families plan their own retirements along with understanding the impact on their family member's government benefits.

Stay tuned. Feel free to share ideas of other topics you would like to see as a workshop. We are listening.

Warmest regards,

Mary Anne Ehlert,

Founder & President

ASD - Parents Helping Parents

Here at Protected Tomorrows, our focus is on all disabilities. We try to add as much information as we can to our website, our Facebook page, and this newsletter. Recently, we received feedback from a parent of a little girl with ASD. This parent was grateful for all the ASD information on our website and kindly shared with us the following articles to help other parents of children with ASD. Check them out!

How to Help Your Child with Autism Overcome Picky Eating

How to Help Your Child with Autism Cope During and After a Move

20 Tips for Keeping Your Child with Special Needs Safe in Your Home

Banishing the Babysitting Blues

Travel Tips for Children with Autism

7 Companies Making Fashion More Inclusive for Kids with Disabilities

By Taylor Pittman for Huffpost.com

"In recent years, well-known brands like Target, Zappos and

Lands' End have begun introducing adaptive clothing lines for children. Aerie recently featured a model who uses a wheelchair and another with an ostomy pouch. These are surely great strides, but behind all that big-name marketing are the people leading a grassroots movement for more inclusion in the fashion world, especially for kids." Read more family-inspired stories and their need for adaptive clothing!

"He used to often wear sweatpants that allowed him the movement he needed, but

when he was 8, he came home from school asking why he couldn't wear jeans like the

rest of his friends. His mom ripped apart a pair of jeans and started "an arts and

crafts project that wound up being jeans" that her son was able to wear on his own."

IPADD - CMS Guidance for Access to Services Within a HCBS Waiver as of January 22, 2019

For our families that are Adult DDD Home and Community Based Support (HCBS) waiver participants currently using Home-Based support services, the Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities (IPADD) has written a summary in response to questions they received from their members about what this means to all families. Click here to read more.

Check out our Educational Tutorials!!!

Our Educational Tutorials are ready for you!

Here's a list of what we currently have...

Supplemental Security Income (SSI):

SSI Redetermination/Financial Review
Things to Consider Before Applying for SSI
Overview of the Application and Interview for SSI
Post Application Follow-Up for SSI
SSI Monthly Pay Reporting
Annual Representative Payee Report
Work Activity Report

Medicaid:

Medicaid Application - Illinois
Medicaid Application - Washington
Medicaid Application - Kentucky
SNAP Application
Medicaid/SNAP Redetermination - Illinois
Monthly Medicaid Eligibility Check
Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD)

Medicare:

Medicare Transition/Extra Help Program

More:

Disabled Adult Child (DAC) Benefits
What's an IEP?
Benefits Access Program (BAP) - Illinois
Transition

Coming Soon:

Considering Work Opportunities
World of Residential Living

These 3-10 minute tutorials can give you answers to some of your questions as well as explain what to expect and the steps to take as you begin setting up benefits for your loved one.

To access these tutorials, click here.